Getting in the Mix – Live Sound Mixers in 2016

An essential piece of gear for any musician or venue hoping to perform to an actual “audience,” live sound mixers in 2016 are now available in a variety of configurations and at prices ranging from the historically affordable to sky’s-the-limit, upper-tier.

In reviewing the results of this month’s poll – sent out to just over 350 retailers – there are some clear trends that emerge. First and foremost, while there are those dealers (and customers!) who remain steadfast in their loyalty to analog consoles, it’s clear that digital mixers continue to lead the market. As Adam York of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s The Music Store puts it, “The digital mixers are definitely taking over. The prices keep getting lower and they are jam-packed with almost everything you need built in.” Many we heard from also pointed to the evolution of remote, smartphone or iPad controlled mixers as being a hot topic.
A fairly consistent sentiment amongst participants in this survey is that customers for this type of gear really seem to inhabit the lower-end of the pricing spectrum. “Everybody is always on a budget!” bemoans The Music Trader’s (Tucker, Georgia) Paul Allison, with RJ Hood of Rick’s Music Shop (Manhattan, Kansas) adding, “People want something for nothing.” Certainly with the price points of serviceable digital mixers dropping to heretofore unheard of lows, newer and less “pro” customers are now part of the mix. Or, as Danny Wilson of Lion’s Roar Church Audio in Denham Springs, Louisiana puts it (rather succinctly): “People are cheap.”

Compared to this time in 2015, sales of live sound mixers for your store are:
Up: 41.9%
Down: 19.6%
Level: 38.7%

“There’s hardly anywhere for people to play anymore. It seems that people just don’t care anymore about a live venue. Go figure?”
RJ Hood
Rick’s Music Shop, Inc.
Manhattan, Kansas

“School orders are up, in store sales are down.”
David St. John
Gard’s Music, LLC
Glendora, California

Can you describe the majority of customers in your store for this type of gear?
Local bands/musicians: 90%
Corporate events: 16.7%
K-12 schools: 46.7%
Colleges and universities: 30%
Churches and houses of worship: 86.7%
DJ/EDM: 26.7%
“Other”: 6.7% (the majority of responses in this category were “Podcasters” and other Internet-based applications)

With respect to live sound mixers, what price points are doing best for your store?
Low: 60%
Intermediate: 36.9%
High-end: 3.1%

“The past year has been huge for small mixers. Customers are wanting to do recordings and podcasting.”
Chris Teesdale
Willis Music Company
Lexington, Kentucky

What brands of live sound mixers are the strongest sellers for your operation so far in 2016?
Yamaha: 36.7%
Soundcraft: 16.7%
Allen & Heath: 20%
Mackie: 40%
Alexis: 3.3%
Alto Professional: 6.7%
Peavey: 40%
Samson: 6.7%
Behringer: 36.7%
Presonus: 2.9%
Rane: 1.4%
Hear Technologies: 2.1%
Other: 15.9% (the majority of responses in this category were Proel and “used,” in that order)

What larger trends have you been noticing in this particular market segment (popular feature sets, emerging tech, buyer demographics, popular add-on sales, et cetera)?
“Clients are looking for digital, but at a low-end price and we can’t compete with larger Internet prices!”
Mario Roacho
Extream Pro Audio
Calexico, California

“Digital mixers are the hot item.”
Shane Hall 
Uptown Music
Keizer, Oregon

“We’re seeing some churches and groups moving back to analog, because they don’t have a sound person on staff full time.”
Dan Patterson
Roger’s Music
Fort Payne, Alabama

“Peavey has begun shipping their new mixers with “mid-morph”, (Mid-Morph improves the sound no matter which direction the knob is turned, pulling out harsh mid frequencies when the knob is cut and adding crispness when it is boosted) and Antares Auto-Tune pitch correction, a technology that can literally help anyone sing in key. Just a couple of new things to discuss when showing these units.”
Kevin Hedley
Uncle Ike’s Music
Dubuque, Iowa

“It’s going digital. They generally don’t sound as ‘fat’ as analog, but they are super convenient with effects, compression et cetera built in. Of course the Behringer x32 has become an industry standard with the Midas mic preamps.”
Paul Allison
The Music Trader
Tucker, Georgia

“Digital mixers have dropped into the under $1K price point which is fueling the increase in sales.”
Mike Kay
Ted Brown Music
Tacoma, Washington

“Live sound mixers are a fantastic opportunity to sell high-end speaker cables from CBI. It’s important that customers think of your store as being their only knowledgeable choice. With so many stores not investing in Pro Audio gear, it gives good dealers a chance to stand out. 
We have noticed a significant push toward digital mixers, and it’s nice that the price points have become more affordable.”
Anthony Mantova
Mantova’s Two Street Music
Eureka, California

“We’re seeing more features for non technical people to wreak havoc on the audience’s ears, such as carrying their iPad and ‘adjusting’ the sound everywhere.”
Mitchell Cederquist
Music Box Studios, Inc.
Shelby Charter Township, Michigan

“Wireless units are much easier and affordable. The built-in effects are better on FX models. Easy set-ups with powered QSC speakers and it makes it almost too easy.”
Jack Watkins
Aaron Avenue Records
Arlington, Texas

“Small IPad controllable mixers seem to be hot.”
Bob Cap
Advanced Audio, Inc.
Gilbert, Minnesota

“The digital mixers are definitely taking over. The prices keep getting lower and they are jam-packed with almost everything you need built in.”
Adam York
The Music Store, Inc.
Tulsa, Oklahoma

“I’m sticking with the analog mixers. Few are qualified to properly manage the digital units…very dry sound.”
Pete Van Alstyne
Pete’s Music Center
Yuba City, California